The Towers Sang
by Princess Antanasia the Vampire
Summary: "You took me to Darillium, to see the Singing Towers.  The Towers sang, and you cried."  "He's taking me to the Singing Towers of Darillium! He's been promising for ages!" No matter how he feels, he's determined that she'll enjoy her last night with him.


**Summary:** "You took me to Darillium, to see the Singing Towers. The Towers sang, and you cried." "He's taking me to the Singing Towers of Darillium! He's been promising for ages!" "Time and Space. You watch us run!" The Doctor's final night with River, he took her to the most spectacular place he knew. But he couldn't protect River from his emotions. And yet, he's determined that she enjoy it.

**Author's Note: Sadness. This topic personifies it. This one's for the lovely ladies at the Official Time Lord Registry forum. I love you guys! This is right after the Last Night short.**

**Disclaimer****:** Doctor Who is the property of the BBC. However unfortunate the choice of head writer may be.

"So, Sweetie, what did you say to him?" I asked him. He smiled secretively at me.

"It's not important." He took my hand, which surprised me in and of itself. We walked silently to the TARDIS. I knew not to say anything, somehow. Speaking would have seemed wrong. My love was smiling, but his eyes were solemn and sad. He opened the door of his wonderful blue box for me.

He broke his silence with a string of numbers.

"What as that, Sweetie?" I asked, perplexed.

"Coordinates." He grinned childishly at me.

"You mean…I can…" I gestured at the console. He held out his arms in presentation. I ran at the controls he normally hated it when I touched. I started pushing and pulling things. The TARDIS purred under my hands and it made me happy. I smirked and turned off the brakes, and then she took off. I grinned at the Doctor, who smiled back. Despite his expression, he looked so forlorn. I looked back at the console and my own smile slipped.

_Something is wrong. Something happens tonight._ I suddenly thought.

"What's wrong, Sweetie?" I asked, approaching him and cupping his cheek.

"Spoilers." His voice was gravelly with suppressed tears. He smoothed my hair with no effect. "I love you, River Song." He murmured. He kissed my forehead. "I don't tell you often enough, but I love you." I looked at him, feeling uncharacteristically helpless.

"I love you, too, Sweetie." We stood there for a moment. The TARDIS landed and he snapped out of it. He held out his arm for me. I took it hesitantly, but his sudden excitement was infectious.

"Outside these doors, is one of the most beautiful, magnificent, the most _brilliant_ sight in the entire universe. Will you accompany me to see it?" He beamed at me and I grinned back.

"I will." From seemingly nowhere, he pulled out a picnic basket. He pulled open the door with his free hand. The sight was the most gorgeous thing I had ever seen. We were on a grassy plateau at the top of a hill. The sky was burnt sienna I could hear the most beautiful, melancholy melody.

"Ah. We seem to have parked facing the wrong way…" He frowned. "No matter." We stepped from the TARDIS and walked around it. I then saw the source of the hauntingly lovely music. The Towers looked like diamond, sparkling in the dying sunlight. I stood, transfixed. I barely noticed when he let go of my arm and set about spreading the picnic blanket. He tugged on my elbow when he had everything set up to his liking. Still staring at the Towers, I sat.

"What do you think, River?" I tore my eyes from the Singing Towers and looked at him. In the sparkling light, he looked like an angel. He was beautiful, like the Towers. I opened my mouth to answer his question, but could find no words for the dazzling sight he had shown me. He smiled softly at me.

"I know." He agreed. "It's the way I feel when I see you." He kissed my forehead again. I raised my face to his and we kissed. He wound a hand through my wild hair, but softly, tentatively, like he thought I might disappear.

When I pulled away from him, he was crying. I wiped his tears away.

"Tell me what's wrong, my love." He closed his eyes and shook his head. The melancholy song whistled through the air around us.

"You know," he half laughed, half choked, "they're usually more cheerful." I wiped his eyes with the pad of my thumb again.

"Tonight is not a night for cheerful." I whispered. He pressed his lips together and nodded. He cupped my cheek and kissed me again, with a desperation that I had never felt come from him before.

"I love you, River. I love you so much. Remember that." He whispered urgently.

"I will. I love you, too, Doctor. Please can you tell me what's wrong." He shook his head in the answer that I knew he would give. I pushed the untouched foodstuffs between us out of the way and kissed him again.

"Whatever happens, I love you." I wasn't sure which of us said it, but I knew that we both meant it.


End file.
